BAM BAM A New Culinary Adventure
A new all-day concept from the team behind award-winning Nemesis is arriving in downtown Vancouver this spring, and it is built around the food many of us grew up loving.
Opening April 1, 2026 at 160 West Georgia Street, BAM BAM brings together fried chicken, donuts, coffee, cocktails, and design in a playful new space inspired by what the team calls “future nostalgia.”
Created by Nemesis founder Jess Reno, BAM BAM takes familiar comfort food classics and reimagines them through a contemporary lens.
“BAM BAM has this future nostalgic feeling,” says Reno. “It’s a love letter to the food and energy we all know and love.”
The Menu
At the heart of the menu is fried chicken, served in several forms including sandwiches like the Classic Rosemary and Hot Sweet. Guests can also order Popcorn Chicken paired with house sauces such as Smoked Gherkins and Cucumber Dill Ranch.
For something sweet, house-made donuts rotate daily, while freshly baked pastry rolls include the OG, Honey Sea Salt, Garlic Knot, and Meyer Lemon.
Signature combos make ordering easy. The Bam Bam includes a chicken sandwich, potato sticks, donut, and drink, while The AM Classic, available until noon, pairs a breakfast sandwich with potato sticks and a drink.
The beverage program leans into nostalgia as well, but with playful twists. Cocktails include Apple Pie & Rye, Strawberry Shiso Negroni, Pecan Pie Old Fashioned, and Hot Honey Margarita.
Cafe-style drinks range from Cherry Matcha and Apple Pie Latte to Strawberry Chocolate Milk. Cream sodas round out the lineup with flavours like Cherry Cola, Lemon Meringue, and Apple Pie.
The Space
The 2,800-square-foot space, designed by McKinley Studios, seats 55 guests and blends nostalgia with contemporary design.
The inspiration draws from North American cultural moments including baseball clubhouses, early hip-hop record shops, and classic varsity iconography.
Inside, the room balances warm materials with sleek details. Cherry veneer, stainless steel counters, and chrome leather seating inspired by 1960s silhouettes create a space that feels both retro and modern.
A central communal table with a green banquette sits beneath a sculptural chandelier by A-N-D Lighting, while custom artwork by artist Filipp Jenikae adds another layer of personality.
Retail and Culture
Beyond the restaurant itself, BAM BAM also includes a retail collection designed by Kali Gill-Desjardins and Jess Reno.
Inspired by vintage varsity culture, the debut collection uses premium fabrics and playful bulldog iconography that appears throughout the brand.
The result is a concept that brings together food, fashion, music, and culture in one cohesive downtown Vancouver space.
The Team
The BAM BAM team includes Albert Tang, VP of Operations; longtime Nemesis Gastown General Manager Tim Tumbagahan; Nemesis Executive Chef Mielye Mitchell; Executive Sous Chef Lina Serrano; Head Chef Rachel Harms; Gabby Ablanida; and Dope Bakehouse Executive Pastry Chef Kevin Lucas.
Opening Details
BAM BAM officially opens April 1, 2026, with soft opening hours running from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
If the idea of fried chicken, donuts, coffee, and cocktails under one roof sounds like your kind of downtown Vancouver hangout, BAM BAM looks poised to become one of spring’s most talked-about openings.
BAM BAM
160 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C.
Website: bambam.cafe
Instagram: @frombambam
